Imamat, Das Avatar, and Evolution: my view

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kandani
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Imamat, Das Avatar, and Evolution: my view

Post by kandani »

IMAMAT, AVATARS and EVOLUTION:

Both the Quran and modern science support the theory of evolution. Life originated in the waters, billions of years ago, with the emergence of single-celled organisms. As earthly conditions changed, some species were forced to adapt to such changes, and after large periods of time, this caused mutations within their genetic makeup. Humans are a product of 4 billion years of such evolution. The
Quran states that God created man in stages, from a “clot of blood.”

21:30 – “Do not the unbelievers see that the Heavens and the Earth were joined together, then We clove them asunder and We got every living thing out of the water? Will they then not believe?”

7:11 – “We created you and thereupon We fashioned you…”

82:7-8 – “God is the One who created you, then fashioned you harmoniously and in due proportion; into whatsoever from He willed He made you out of components.”

95:4 – “We created Man according to the best organizational plan.”

71:14 – “He created you in stages…”

76:28 – “Verily We created them and strengthened all of them. And when We willed, We replaced them completely by people who were of the same kind.”

6:133 – “If God wills, He destroys you and in your place appoints whom He wills as successors, just as He brought you forth from the posterity of other people.”

The stories of the Ten Avatars, greatly revered by Hindu’s, and glorified by the Holy Pirs, are allegorical and symbolic stories that illustrate the evolution of man. It should be noted that there has always been an Imam – an earthly Epiphany of God – present as the highest evolved form of life.

Regarding the concept of Avatars professed by Hindus, Shah Abdul-Aziz, a prominent Sufi Alim of his time (1746-1823) wrote that:

“To conclude, we may say that the Avatars of the Hindus were manifestations of the Reality, whether they were in the form of human beings, or in the formal of an animal – like a lion or a fish. Such Avatars were very much similar to the staff of Moses or the she-camel of Salih. In the process of time, however, the ignorant among the Hindus, because of their inability to distinguish the real and the manifest, regarding everyone of them as the real God and thus went astray.”


The first Avatar, said to be a half-Man, half-Fish, refers to the period of time when life was dwelling in the waters. The second Avatar, said to be in a form of a Tortoise refers to the evolutionary stage when life started to migrate to the land. The third Avatar, said to be in the form of a Boar, represents the early stages of mammal evolution. The fourth Avatar, said to be a half-Man, half-Lion refers to the stage of evolution known as the “missing link”. The fifth Avatar, said to be in the form of a Dwarf, signifies the appearance of the Homo Habilis, which appeared approximately 2 million years ago. The sixth Avatar, said to be an Axe-Man, most likely means the appearance of the Homo Erectus, who is said to have used such tools, and who existed about 1 million years ago. The first appearance of modern man, or Homo Sapiens Sapiens, was approximately 50,000 – 100,000 years ago. This was the first type of man who possessed an intellect. The seventh Avatar, known as Rama, was a prince in a kingdom of India. The traditions relate that he was banished to the jungle by his corrupt relatives, but eventually returned, reclaiming his rights and dispensing divine guidance during his time. His period, if he actually existed, would be at 7400 BC. The 8th Avatar, known as Krishna, was the 60th direct descendant of Rama, and was a prince and politician in an area of India. Krishna came to the aid of five princes, known as the Panch Pandaws, whose corrupt brothers had usurped the throne of their kingdom. With the aid of Krishna, there occurred a great epic battle known as the Mahabharat, where the Panch Pandaws regained their kingdom. If Krishna existed historically, then the period of his events, including the battle of Mahabharat, occurred at approximately 5561 BC. Most Hindu’s then recognize Gautama Buddha as the ninth Avatar. However, according to Ismaili tradition, the ninth Avatar, said to be a man with leprosy, was Budh also called Honayd. He was the father of the biblical or historical Adam, the Adam of our Cycle whose advent was at around 4000 BC. This Budh was responsible for ending the previous Cycle and beginning the current one. This is as far back as our recorded history can trace. The tenth Avatar, in the form of a warrior on a while horse, was the first Shiite Imam, Ali ibn Abu Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad. The famous swordsmanship and horsemanship of Ali can be verified historically.

One should not misinterpret the concept of Das Avatar and perceive that the Imam appeared as one Avatar, disappeared from the world, and then reincarnated as the next Avatar. Rather, the Imamat has continued uninterrupted, through a genealogical lineage. The persons glorified as the Ten Avatars were the most significant Imams of previous ages and periods.

The Line of Imamat continues, generation upon generation, among the chosen descendants of the Ali ibn Abu Talib.

Once again, it is necessary to mention that the stories of the many of the Avatars should not be taken for their literal implications. Such stories illustrate to us the physical and the spiritual development of the soul, through various forms and stages.
Admin
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Post by Admin »

http://ismaili.net/heritage/files/NoorE ... 1980-1.pdf

Hand written (and typed version) of a long letter by Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah (MSMS) explaining the Ismaili Faith, a sworn affidavit on the history of Ismailis and Khojas signed in 1899.
agakhani
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Post by agakhani »

Admin,

Is there any chace I can purchase this book in its original binding?
I printed it through Ismaili.net but it is not clear, the photo of "ten incarnations" is also great but it not look clear alongwith SMS as "Nakalanki avatar"
Admin
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Post by Admin »

Sorry, to my knowledge, the author died few years back and there is no original in my possession for better photocopy or scan.

I request any person that has a good original to contact me at [email protected] and send me a scan so I can replace the old scan which is in the website.

better, if the person that typed the book can send it in searchable pdf or text format, that would be fantastic.
DanishAli
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perfect

Post by DanishAli »

I would be interested in receiving a copy of this photo as well. If you get your hands on it, then please notify me. Thank you! :)

YAM,
Danish

@agakhani check my Girbhaveli post in Ginan forums :) thanks
shiraz.virani
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Post by shiraz.virani »

agakhani
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Location: TEXAS. U.S.A.

Post by agakhani »

Shiraz,
What would you will recive or you will get or achive after intorducing these kind anti- Ismaili web sites here? in my opinion these kind websites are not new for many readers forget about other readers but let me give you my own example.

the first time I came in touch this website was more than 5 years ago but this website couldn't shake my faith FYI: These kind ( anti-Ismaism) websites cann't shake my or any true Ismailis faith, as I wrote above yes I had come in touch with this website more than 5 years ago and I did correspondeced with "the the man" who has started this website and
I should confess that I also downloaded some ginans from Pirana website ( dhrol, dhol in their language which were composed by Syed Imam Shah and its very similar to our ginans )

[personal correspondance edited by admin]
shiraz.virani
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Post by shiraz.virani »

My apologies, actually I was trying to copy/paste this link @ below and not something i.e against ismailism...It was an honest mistake

http://www.scribd.com/doc/33025540/Seri ... h-Original

I was trying to read both the things simultaneously and thats the reason why I got messed up and posted that link....What I was trying to prove is that sathpanth religion is not HINDU religion but actually follows ISLAM....this I was trying to show in order to prove those who say our practise resembles that of hindus...well they're wrong !!
agakhani
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Post by agakhani »

@agakhani check my Girbhaveli post in Ginan forums thanks
I will let you know when I come to Houston next time please give me your e-mail address.
shiraz.virani
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Post by shiraz.virani »

Shiraz,
What would you will recive or you will get or achive after intorducing these kind anti- Ismaili web sites here? in my opinion these kind websites are not new for many readers forget about other readers but let me give you my own example.
Agakhani bhai, You said the link I copy/pasted is anti ismaili whereas I read the wholething and I dont find anything offensive about that link...Infact the author of that article is trying to prove that sathpanthis are not HINDUS !!.....isme anti ismilism kahan se aaya agakhani bhai ???
agakhani
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Post by agakhani »

.this I was trying to show in order to prove those who say our practice resembles that of hindus...well they're wrong !!
Shiraz,

Thanks for your comments above and I hope that it will not t change in the future too .But unfortunately the above facts written by above website is not a true matter of facts this website has made too many mistakes which are directly or indirectly effect Ismailism which is not right. If I start to point out one after another then it will take long time and become a long post and nobody likes or like to read a long post but I will definitely give you (and other readers) only one example for that :-
Pir Sadardin gave the first converts to Ismailism the name 'Satpanth' because they were the followers of the'True Path
1, Well this is not true, the first conversation was made by Pir Satgur Noor (s.a.) (not by pir Sadardin) in "satpanth" or in "Ismailism" most scholars even some Ismailis are also believing this but this is not a true. the truth is Pir Satgur Noor ( s.a.) was the first converter who had converted "Momnas" jamat in "Satpanthi Dharam" more than 1000 (thousand) years ago during the time of a great king name " Siddhraj Jaysinh", and more than 400 years before the "Khojas" were converted by Pir Sadardin (s.a.) from Lohanas and Rajputs.
The second conversation was made by Pir Shams (s.a.. ( not pir Sadardin yet, he has to still wait ) in Punjab province and therefore they still recognize pir Shams name as "Shamsi" and after this two conversations the third conversation was made by Pir Sadardin from Lohanas, and Rajputs.

If you have an interest and like to know our history then you can still find these facts even today, but who has time now a days !!??? I request those readers who wants to know more about this and even more please e-mail me at agakhani78660 at yahoo com
shiraz.virani
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Post by shiraz.virani »

1, Well this is not true, the first conversation was made by Pir Satgur Noor (s.a.) (not by pir Sadardin) in "satpanth" or in "Ismailism" most scholars even some Ismailis are also believing this but this is not a true. the truth is Pir Satgur Noor ( s.a.) was the first converter who had converted "Momnas" jamat in "Satpanthi Dharam" more than 1000 (thousand) years ago during the time of a great king name " Siddhraj Jaysinh", and more than 400 years before the "Khojas" were converted by Pir Sadardin (s.a.) from Lohanas and Rajputs.
The second conversation was made by Pir Shams (s.a.. ( not pir Sadardin yet, he has to still wait ) in Punjab province and therefore they still recognize pir Shams name as "Shamsi" and after this two conversations the third conversation was made by Pir Sadardin from Lohanas, and Rajputs.
Yes, pir sadardin was a student of Pir Shams and also accompanied him to punjab, kashmir and also I think sindh. its because of pir sadardin's courage and preaching that the current khojas [ismailis] exist.


I request you and all those who wanna know more about Pir sadardin to read from the work Jannat Nama aka Jannatpuri composed by his grandson Sayid Imamshah bin Pir Hasan Kabiruddin.
shiraz.virani
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Post by shiraz.virani »

and also I would like to mention here that his most popular work is Das Avatar. This work was produced as a proof in the First Aga Khan case and was of tremendous help in falsifying the charges made by those who claimed to be the adherents of Sunnism and intended to prove that Pir Sadarddin was a man of Sunni persuasion and that the Khojas were Sunnis too.

His work Das Avatar was again referred to during the second Aga Khan case. The opponents in that case tried to prove that the Ismaili Imams and the Khojas were the adherents of Ithnaashari faith.

Btw I also like his MOMIN CHITVENI OR CHETAVANI :)
DanishAli
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Post by DanishAli »

agakhani wrote:
@agakhani check my Girbhaveli post in Ginan forums thanks
I will let you know when I come to Houston next time please give me your e-mail address.
thanks AgaKhani

my email address is [email protected]

thanks.
agakhani
Posts: 2059
Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 8:49 am
Location: TEXAS. U.S.A.

Post by agakhani »

Agakhani bhai, You said the link I copy/pasted is anti ismaili whereas I read the wholething and I dont find anything offensive about that link.
Shiraz,
Not the above link but I was referring about the link which has been already deleted.
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